Makeup artists use cosmetic products to enhance natural beauty and create attractive looks that meet clients ' needs. They work in a number of settings, such as demonstrations at makeup counters and trade shows, high-fashion makeup for runway models, theatrical makeup for film and stage productions, and movie special-effects makeup design. Depending on the makeup artist 's niche, they may based in one location (such as a salon or makeup counter) or travel regularly to different locations. Makeup artists may work as freelance professionals or for an employer. Examples of freelance makeup artists ' jobs might include a bride 's makeup for weddings, actors ' makeup for stage production, and models ' makeup for fashion photographers print and catalog …show more content…
Drag job titles to investigate a particular path and click on a link to see where particular career can lead. Many Makeup Artists move into a Retail Store Manager role, which does not lead to a big boost in pay. Retail Store Managers on average bring in a similar salary to Makeup Artists. A Performance Makeup Artist role is the most common promotion for Makeup Artists moving up the ladder, and pay for the position tends to be around the $40K mark. Another typical, albeit less common, transition for Makeup Artists is an Esthetician position, where earnings are usually $31K. Makeup Artist Job Listings Pay by Experience Level for Makeup Artist Pay by Experience for a Makeup Artist has a positive trend. An entry-level Makeup Artist with less than 5 years of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of $33,000 based on 314 salaries provided by anonymous users. Average total compensation includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay. A Makeup Artist with mid-career experience which includes employees with 5 to 10 years of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of $39,000 based on 128 salaries. An experienced Makeup Artist which includes employees with 10 to 20 years of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of $44,000 based on 97 salaries. A Makeup Artist with late-career experience which includes employees